Advertising device.



No. 889,212., PATENTED JUNE z, 1908.

' lA. J. DE BARRY.

ADVERTISING DEVICE. APPLIOATION FILED FEB. 7, 1901.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

INIIIIIINIIIIIIIIIIIH No. 889,212. PATENTED .TUNE 2, 1908.

A. J. DE BARRY. ADVERTISING DEVICE. A3 PPPP A'r'ro NNNNNNN 1:15. 77777'1.

EEEEEEEEEEEEE 2.

UNTTED sTATEs PATENT onnion.

ARTHUR J. DE BARRY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS,TO VICTOR C. BELL, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

-Anvruvrrsrner DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented .Tune 2, 1908.

Application filed February 7, 1907. Serial No. 356,276.

l To all whom it 'may concern:

Beit known that I, ARTHUR J. DE BARRY, a cltizen of the United States,residing at the borough of Manhattan,` city of New Y ork, in

the county of New York and State of New York, have invented a certainnew and useful Improvement in Advertising Devices, of

which the following is a specification, reference being had therein tothe accompanying drawings, forming apart thereof.

My invention relates generally to advertising devices and moreparticularly to cases or cabinets for containing and displayingcommercial articles and signs relative to such articles, and has for itsobjects to arrest the attention, hold the interest and excite thecuriosity of prospective purchasers, and has also as further objectssymmetry and lateral similitude of construction and economy of space. Y

My invention includes the provision of means for automatically causingone object apparently to be substituted for another object in thecabinet during an interval of darkness in the cabinet and then duringanother ically indefinitely.

My invention also includes the provision of means for causing twoobjects, one of which is arranged to be viewed by its transmitted lightand the other of which is arranged to be viewed by its reflected light,to appear to an observer as :of substantially equal brightness or asequally illuminated.

My invention further includes certain details of constructionhereinafter described.

Reference will now be had to the accompanying drawings for a descriptionof the embodiment of my vinvention illustrated therein, after which IWill point out my in'- vention in claims. i

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the complete device. Fig. 2 is ahorizontal sectional plan. Fig. 3 is a vertical section on the lines3--3 of Fig. 2 as viewed from the right, the y rectangular cabinet orcase having a bottom 4, to 5, b ack 6 and sides 7 and 8, of any suita lematerial, such as wood. The cabinet is shown as provided withsupportingV casters 9. The front of the cabinet is open, except forcurtains 10. These curtains are suspended from a curtain-rod 11 in usualmanner, such curtain-rod extending across the front of the cabinet nearthe top thereof and being supported on usual brackets 12 carried by thesides of the cabinet. These curtains impart a more finished andornamental appearance to the device and also help to give an appearanceof mystery to the operation thereo In the operation of thedevioe thecurtains are. partly ldrawn aside lfrom the middle, preferably about asshown in the drawings. The side 8 of the cabinet is provided with anYoutwardlyopenmg hinged door 13 as shown,

for access to a art of the interior of the cabinet. The frontback andsides of the cabinet are all of the same width, and consequently thecabinet presents a square transverse section and has a square bottomfasmay be seen in'Fig. 2.

The interior of the cabinet will now be described.

Vertical diagonal wings or partitions 14, 15, 16 and 17, extend thecorners of the cabinet to a little more than one-third of the distancediagonally across the cabinet from any one corner to the op ositecorner, and extend throughout the full height of the cabinet from thebottom to the top, as seen in Figs. 1 and 3. The wmg 14 is provided atits forward portion, or con tiguous to the corner of the cabinet, with acomparatively narrow outwardly openingl hinged door 18, for access tothe part of the mterior of the cabinet immediately in rear of thispartition. As may be seen from F1g. 2, similar symmetrical triangularprlsmatic compartments or chambers are formed between the win s 14 and15, between the wings 15 and 16, an between the wings 16 and 17, resectively, and a space of the same shape respectively out from an size asthe compartments is formed at f ers are arranged onv the flooralong suchedge at the front of the glass; and as such glass is adapted to act a'tone. time transparently and at another time as a refiector, such flowersare similarly placed at the back of the lass, so that the appearanceWill be uniform y transmitted light and by reflection. Also for the sakeof symmetry and to aid in diverting or preventin any possible suspicionof the presence vof ie glass 19, the iiowers 2O are arranged between theglass and the ends of the wings 14 and 16 in alinement with such wingsto simulate the appearance of the flowers at the foot of the glass. Asis apparentfrom the foregoing,- the glass 19 is disposed at an angle offorty-live degrees to the sides and back and front of the cabinet An object-supporting pedestal 21 having a -base 22 is located within themclosure or compartment formed laterally by the rear wings 15 and 16 andthe back 6 and in line with the spaces or openings between the in- .nered es of the Wings, as 'viewed from the front o the cabinet, Suchpedestal and base are shown as of rectangular configuration,` exceptingthat the pedestal has a tapered portion atthe top. The pedestal ispreferably placed as near to the back 6 as practicable. Anotherobject-su porting pedestal 23 With base 24, both in a respectspresenting an identity of appearance to the edestal 21 and base 22, islocated within t e cominner edges of the wings 14 and 15. An obpartmentor inclosure formed laterally by the wings 14 and 15 and side 7 and inperpendicular alinement with the opening between the ject 25 for displayis shown as resting on the edestal 21, as seen in Figs. 1 and 2, and adifferent object 26 for display is shown as resting on the pedestal 23,as seen in Figs. 2 sign 1 is secured'rto the back wall 6 in lateralalinement with and at such a hei ht as to be visible over the object 25,such s1 n being lettered or inscribed so as to `ffread in t e ordinarymanner, as may be seenein Fig. 1

l the sign 1, the ob'ect25, and the edestal`21 there bein visibleandviewed t ough the glass 19 w `ch, on account of its transparency, isnotdiscernible in 'this figure.- Another s' n 2 is secured to the side Wall7 in lateral lxiilinement with and at such a height 'as not to beobscured by the object 26. The

inscription on the sign 2 1s reversed laterallyV pedestal, when vieweclusion of the object26 andsign 2'. As a r-x sult of this change 1nconditions the respectiveobjects and slgns a pear to chan e laces witheachother. Thea orementione c ange 1n conditions and the means forproducing the same Willl now be described. v j According `to vwell knownIprinciples of physics, when 'a ray of light passes from al medium of acertain density toa medium of a different density the ray 1s split ordivided into two rays one of which is transmitted and f the other ofwhich is turned back' or reflected at an angle tothe reflectingsurfaceequal tol the angle of incidence of t divided ray. thetransmitted and reflected 'rays epend u on the angle of incidence andthe nature of t e respective media. In] the case of platee original orunglass at an angle of forty-five degrees somewhat more light Iwill betransmittedthrough the glass than .will be reflected from the two'surfaces.

It follows from the foregoin Without fur- The comparative strengths ofltherexplanation that rays of ight proceedinfrom the object 25 toward thefront f the ca inet Will be in art'transmitted and in part reflected byt e glassl9, suchobject eing rendered visible through the glass by thetransmitted rays. 'It llkewise follows that'rays'of light from 'theobject 26 will be in part transmitted andin part reiiected bg the 'glass19, the reflected rays rendering suc object visible fromthe front of thecabinet and causing such object to appear to be located at the positionof the object 25. It further follows that either the one or the other ofsuch objects will be thus visible according to which at the time isilluminated. The same is true of the respective signs and pedestals. Thepedestals being shown as of symmetrical form and identical appearance',

Vit follows that one pedestal, when reflected,

presents the same ap ea-rance as the other dp by. transmitted light. Ihe signs being shown as of identical symmetrical shape with the lettersreversed in the 'sign which is seen by reliection, the two signs Willalso 1present an identical appearance, if similar y reversel lettered,or may bediferently lettered. Xssuming that the 4sign 2 when viewed byreflected light,. re-

sents the same appearance as the sign 1 w en viewed by transmittedlight, the object 25 and-the. object 26 may be made to apparently changeplaces the one with the other bly'causing the alternate illumination ofthese 0 J ects and their corresponding pedestals and signs. f l [Meansare rovided for automatically causing light to e shed periodically andalternately upon the two above-named objectsI and correspondingpedestals and signs, such means mcludlng mcandescent electric lamps 27for shedding light upon`the object 25,

these lamps belng shown as four in number,

/two at each side of the object and arranged adjacent to the respectivewings 15 and 16 and slightly forward of the object. These lamps aresufliciently far removed from the inner edges of the wings 15 and 16 asto be invisible from the front of the cabinet and are further obscuredinthat direction by shields or reflectors 28 which also serve to increasethe illumination of the object 25 and its edestal and sign. The meansfor illuminating the object 26 include incandescent electric. lamps 29,shown as siX in number and as arranged with three at each side of theobject and adjacent to the respective wings 14 and 15. enough removedfrom the inner edges of the wings 14 and 15 as to be invisible, byreflection from the glass 19, to an observer at the front of the cabinetand this result is further assured and the illumination of the object 26and its pedestal and sign are added to by shields or reflectors 30.Thelamps 27 and 29 may be supplied with current from any suitablesource. For the sake of completeness of illustration I have shown theselamps as supplied with current by a generator 31, shown in diagram inFig. 4. l,

The means for automatically alternately flashing or lighting the lampsinclude a' twoway flasher. Any form of automatic twoway flasher may beemployed for this purpose. In Fig. 4 l have shown in diagram a l two-waythermal flasher, and have shown and I have shown it as 4locate the sameiii Fig. 2 as incorporated in the cabinet. Such flasher may be placed atany convenient location, preferably somewhere about the cabinet andforming a art thereof, within the cabinet and in the compartment formedbetween the partition wings 16 and 17. The flasher shown includes twobent metal bars 32 and 33 forming legs. These legs are rigidly joinedtogether in the form of a triangle, and heat-insulating material asshown is interposed between these leg members at their points ofjuncture, so that they are thermally insulated from each other. Theselegs 32 and 33 respectively carry insulated contact-terminals 34 and 35.A heatingcoil 36'of insulated wire is wound about the leg 32 and asimilar heating-coil 37 isvwound aboutr the leg 33, and' respectiveterminals of these coils are connected to the contact-terminals 34 and35'. these coils are connected in multiple to the conductor 33 which isconnected to one of the poles of the generator 31. A conductor 39 leadsfrom the other pole of the generator and constitutes a common wire forall of the lamps 27 and 29. The lamps 27 are shown as connected inmultiple between the common conductor 39 and a conductor 4() which isconnected to a stationary nut 41 of an adjustable contact-screw 42adapted to co erate with the movable contact-termina 35 The .lamps 29are far- The other terminals ofthere is only a single carried by the leg33 and connected to one terminal of the heating-coil 37. The lamps 29are shown as connected in multiple between the common conductor 39 and aconductor 43 which is connected to a stationary nut 44 of an adjustablecontact-screw 45 adapted to coperate with the other movablecontact-terminal 34 carried by the other leg 32 and connected to oneterminal of the other heating-coil 36. The triangle is held instationary position at its base by the attachment thereof to aflasher-casing 46, as may be seen in Fig. 2. To flash the lamps 27 and29 alternately the movable contact-terminal 34 is adapted to makecontact with the contact-screw 45 and the movable contact-'terminal 35with the` contact-screw 42 alternately with each other. It is obviousthat the conductors 38 and 39 may come from any suitable electricalsource at any distance. Movement is communicated to the contactterminals34 and 35 by the alternate expan- Y sion and contraction of the legs 32and 33 in rhythmic alternation with each other, due to the heatresulting from the electric current flowing through the heating-coils 36and 37, respectively. rl`he arrangement is such that the expanding legwill open the circuit of its heating coil at the same time that it opensone of the lamp-circuits, the same movement closing the otherlamp-circuit through the heatin -coil of the other leg. For example,with t e position of parts shown in Fig. 4, wherein the lamps 29 are incircuit and the lamps 27 out of circuit, when the current through thecoil 36 has sui'ficiritly heated the leg 32 the circuit of such coil andof the lamps will be opened by the expansion of such leg, and acontinuation of this movement will close the circuit of the lamps 27and-heating-coil 37 of the leg 33, the heating of the leg 33 thencausii.' a similar action in a reverse direction to ta e place, and soon indefinitely.

It is evident that all of the lamps 27 and 29 will be dark for anappreciable period of time intervening between the opening of one lampcircuit and thev closing of 'the other. This period of darkness is ofmaterial advantage in the operation of my device. lt brings about theillusion of one object apparently having been replaced by another objectduring a short interval of darkness. The fact that the pedestals andsigns are duplicates of each other in appearance assists this illusiveeffect, by giving the impression that pedestal and sign. It is obyiousthat the pedestals and signs should occupy corresponding locations intheir respective chambers.

Similar general conditions of appearance are carried out by equalizingthe lig iting effect. For example, as alreadystated, the glass plate 19,in the position it occupies relatively to the objects of display 25 and246,

will transmit more light coming from such objects than it will reflect.To compensate -for this it is preferable to have more strongly Y in theside 8 `cabinet at will.

lighted the object which is to be viewed reilected light.` This resultis brought about in the construction shown by having six lamps 29 forilluminating the reflected object 26 while only four lamps 27, of thesame mdividual candle ower as the lamps 29, are employed for liglitingthe directly viewed object 25.

The interior of the ,chamber containing the article 25 may be reachedthrough the door of the cabinet, and thus the lamps 27 may be renewedand the article 25 placed in position in or removed from the Access tothe interior of the chamber containing the article 26 may be had throughthe door 18 at the `forward edge the chambers, and a two-way asher the sperat the i ofthe wing 14.

The diagonal disposition of the wing mits the objects 25 and 26 to beviewed middle laterally of the cabinet without any front space' betweenthe may be used for displaying variou-s articles .1f so desired.

size and shape as the first It is ovbious that various i modificationsmay be made in theconstruction shown and above particularly describedwithin the principle and scope 'of my invention.

c aim:- 1. An advertising into, a second disp p erpemlicular relationthereto and aving a ar slght-opeig adjacent to and perpendicu `size andshape as the to such opemng of the irst chamber, p late bisecting theangle between the `two slght-o enings, an'd 'means operating auto- Hy toilluminate the interior of the rej matica s ective chambersalternately,and to proi uce intervening periods of darkness in both zdiagonallybetween the inner e ges of diag chambers concurrently'.

2. An advertising device comprising a display-chamber having asight-opening there- 1nto, a second display-chamber ofthe same first anddislposed in .perpendicular relation thereto. and avin a slght-opemngadjacent to and perpendicu ar to such opemng'of the rst chamber, a glassp late bisecting 'the angleA between the two seht-openings,

an electric lamp in eachof the chambers, lamps, and a two-way lasher inthe lamp circuits operating to :Hash the lamps alternately l withintervenin perlods which both lamps are disconnecte 3. In an advertisingdevice, the combination of a substantially vertical plate of glassarranged at an angle of forty-ve degrees to the line of vision, aforwardl -opemng d1sply-chamber at the rear of t e glass, a lat-.

displaychamber opening toward the The being more br of current fordevice comprising a display-chamber having a sight-openingtherelay-chamber of the same and dislposed'in.

a glass and means o chamb a source of current for theA front of theglass, and means operating au'- tomatically to illuminate objects ofdisplay in the 'respective .chambers alternately, whereby at one timethe object in the rstnamed chamber may be seen through the glass and atanother time the object in the second chamber may be seen by reflectionin the lass, the illuminating means operating to uminate the lateralchamber more brilliantly than the rear chamber to cause the obj ects inthe respective chambers to appear to an observer to be equallyilluminated.

4. In an advertising. device, th tion of a substantially vertical plfteofglass arranged at an angle of forty-five degrees to the line ofvision, a forWardly-openmg display-chamber at the rear of the glass, alatera display chamber opening toward the front of the glass, anelectric lamp in eachof lamp circuits for lashingthe lamps alternate 5.an advertising device, the combination of a substantially vertical plateof glass of forty-five degrees to arranged at anangle the line ofvision, a forwardly-openmg displa -cham'ber at the rear of the glass, alatera display-chamber front of the glass, an e ectric light inl eachchamber, the light in the lateral chamber 'ant than the other, a sourcethe lights, and 4a two-way asher in the circuits of the lights operatinautomatically and periodically to open an close such circuitsalternately.

v6. Inan advertising device, the combination of a square cabinet open atthe front, Wings extending diagonally inward from the corners of thecabinet toward the center thereof but terminating short of such centerso as to leave a central space, such wings forming chambers at the rearand the sides lof the cabinet and also forming a front space at thefront of the cabinet, a glass late disposed onally opposite wings andsubstantially in a inement with such Win so that the rear'chamber opensvbehind t e glass and one of the lateral chambers opens in front of theglass,

eratlng automatically to illu- Inmate perio ically and alternately theinteriors of the rear chamber and said lateral chamber, whereby theinterior of the rear er is at one time directly visible through theglass and at another time the interior of the lateral chamber is visibleby reflection' in the glass.. 7. In an advertising device, thecombination of a square cabinet open at the front, wings extendingdiagonally inward from the corners of the cabinet toward the centerthereof but terminating short of such center so as to leave a centralspace, such wings forming chambers at the rear and the sides of thecabinet and also forming a front space combinaolpening toward the at thefront of the cabinet, a glass plate disposed diagonally between theinner edges of diagonally opposite wings and substantially in alinementwith such Wings, so that the rear chamber opens behind the glass and oneof the lateral chambers opens in front of the glass, and means o eratingautomatically to illuminate periodically and alternately the interiorsof the rear chambers and said lateral chamber and to produce interveningperiods of darkness in both such chambers concurrently.

8. In an advertising device, the combination of a square cabinet open atthe front, wings extending diagonally inward from the respective cornersof the cabinet toward the center thereof but terminating short of suchcenter so as to leave a central space, such wings forming chambers atthe rear and the sides of the cabinet and also Jforming a front s 4aceat the front of the cabinet, a glass plate isposed diagonally betweenthe inner edges of diagonally opposite wings and substantially inalineinent with such wings, so that the rear chamber opens behind theglass and one of thel lateral chambers opens in front of the glass, anelectric lamp in each of the last-named chambers, a source ol' currentfor the lamps, and a two-way flasher in the lamp circuits for flashingthe lamps alternately.

9. In an tion of a square cabinet open at the front, wings extendingdiagonallyinward from the respective corners of the cabinet toward thecenter thereof1 but terminating short of such center so as to leave acentral space, such wings forming chambers` at the rear and the sides ofthe cabinet and also forming a front space at the front of' the cabinet,a glass plate disposed diagonally between the inner edges of diagonallyopposite wings and substantially in alinement with such wings, so thatthe rear chamber opens behind the glass and one of the lateral chambersopens in Jfront of the glass, electric lam s in the rear chamber,electric lamps of a col ectively greater candle power in that late-ralchamber which opens forwardly of the glass, a source of current for thelamps, and a two-way lasher in the lamp circuits operating to 'ilash thelamps alternately in they lamp-containing chambers.

In testimomy whereof I have allixcd my signature in presence ol twowitnesses.

ARTHUR J. DE BARRY.

Witnesses: Y

HERBERT 1I. Gis, WM. ASHLEY KELLY.

advertising device, the combina-

